China deploys country’s first robot police squad

China has deployed its first robot police squad to help manage crowds during the early May holiday season. 15 humanoid traffic management robots were stationed around the West Lake scenic area, a tourist hotspot in the tech hub of Hangzhou, southern China on Friday (1 May). The robots are tasked with highlighting traffic violations, directing traffic and assisting tourists with directions, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The droids’ presence had a counterproductive effect though, as bemused crowds gathered on the streets and crosswalks to take video with the new recruits. The technology had previously been tested at large scale events such as marathons, before being rolled out across traffic duty under the supervision of human officers.

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